Aluminum foil is a thin, pliable sheet made of aluminum metal. Aluminum foil is typically less than 0.2 millimeters (mm) thick. Aluminum foil acts as an excellent barrier against moisture, light, oxygen, and other contaminants.
It is an efficient conductor of heat, highly flexible and can be easily shaped and folded. Aluminum foil is made from 99.0%-99.7% pure electrolytic aluminum through multiple rolling processes. It is commonly used as a barrier layer in multi-layer structures for coffee, nuts, powders and retort foods, where long shelf life and flavor protection are critical.
High Barrier Material
| Density | 2.7 g/cm³ |
| Usage Temperature | -73°C ~ 371°C |
| Common Thickness | 7μm, 9μm, 12μm, 40μm |
The use of aluminum foil is ubiquitous in daily life, and it is commonly encountered in tearing open food and beverage packaging.
Aluminum foil possesses moisture-proof, airtight, light-shielding, odor-preserving, non-toxic, and odorless characteristics.
Aluminum foil packaging has excellent barriers against oxygen and moisture, making it a good barrier material.
It has good heat resistance, high light reflectivity, and luster. It maintains good shape at high and low temperatures and is stable under high and low-temperature conditions between -73°C to 371°C without warping.
Featuring an elegant silver-white metallic luster, aluminum foil is highly decorative.
Lightweight with high ductility, thin thickness, and low unit area weight.
Excellent light-shielding properties with a reflectivity of up to 95%.
Strong protection capability, preventing packaged items from bacterial, fungal, and insect infestations.
It has extremely good barrier properties to prevent moisture absorption, oxidation, and volatile deterioration of packaged contents as well as excellent moisture and oxygen barrier properties.
Aluminum foil is easy to process and can be compounded with various plastic films and papers.
Aluminum foil also has some defects when used in packaging.
Low strength, prone to tearing, unsuitable for standalone packaging, easily fractures during folding then leading to punctures, and not resistant to acids and alkalis.
Aluminum foil is brittle, fractures easily, and is relatively challenging to laminate.
Aluminum foil has poor acid resistance. Therefore, when packaging juices or acidic items, it is generally not placed in the inner sealing layer to ensure the acid does not penetrate and cause delamination.
Lacks heat-sealing properties, cannot serve as the innermost layer of a laminate pouch, and is only suitable as an intermediate layer material for the bag.
The high barrier properties of aluminum foil make it a favorite in flexible packaging, but its cost is relatively high. To reduce costs, film manufacturers have explored metalized material, which not only possesses the characteristics of aluminum foil but also comes with the advantage of being cost-effective.
| Item | Aluminum Foil | PET | MPET | NY | TNY | BOPP | Normal MBOPP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OTR (cm³/(m²∙24h∙0.1Mpa)) |
≤0.5 | ≤120 | ≤2.0 | ≤50 | ≤2.0 | ≤1500 | ≤100 |
| WVTR (g/(m²∙24h)) |
≤0.5 | ≤50 | ≤2.0 | / | ≤2.0 | ≤5.8 | ≤1.5 |
Note: When selecting material structures, metalized bags can be considered as a substitute for aluminum foil to reduce costs while maintaining good barrier properties.
Due to the versatile properties of aluminum foil, it serves a variety of purposes, such as food packaging, cooking and baking, medical packaging, insulation, grilling and barbecuing, arts and crafts, electrical conductivity, decoration and wrapping, reflective insulation, and hairdressing.
Even in non-food applications, AL plays a significant role. Cleaning agents often use NY/AL/PE structure, where the aluminum layer not only blocks light but also prevents the unpleasant odor of the cleaning agent.
The versatility and protective properties of aluminum foil make it a valuable material in various industries and everyday applications.
Common structures where aluminum foil is used in flexible packaging laminations.
Classic structure for coffee and high barrier food packaging. Suitable for most food items requiring barrier properties.
For stand-up pouches with a spout, such as tomato sauce. The aluminum layer provides barrier properties, and the dual PET layers lend rigidity to the stand-up pouch.
Excellent choice for retort pouches that need high temperature resistance and barrier.
For stand-up paper bags needing both paper look and high barrier performance.
Commonly used for cleaning agents, where the aluminum layer blocks light and prevents unpleasant odors.
Used for retort pouches that need high temperature resistance and barrier.
Contact our team with your product requirements, barrier needs, and packaging specifications.
Our experts will recommend the optimal ALUMINUM-FOIL structure (PET/AL/PE) for your application based on your specific requirements.
We'll produce your custom ALUMINUM-FOIL-based packaging and ship it to your location worldwide.
Explore our flexible packaging solutions that utilize ALUMINUM-FOIL film for superior performance and appearance.
High barrier coffee packaging with PET/AL/PE structure.
Retort pouches with aluminum foil for maximum barrier.
Vacuum packaging with AL foil for superior barrier.
Pet food pouches with AL foil barrier protection.
Sauce pouches with AL foil for extended shelf life.
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Contact Us for Custom SolutionsCommon questions about ALUMINUM-FOIL film properties, applications, and selection for flexible packaging.
Aluminum foil is a thin pliable sheet made of aluminum metal with excellent barrier properties against moisture, light, oxygen, and aromas. Its main advantages include superior barrier performance (nearly 100% barrier), light protection, and ability to maintain product freshness and extend shelf life significantly.
Aluminum foil packaging is ideal for products requiring maximum barrier protection and extended shelf life. Common applications include coffee, retort products, vacuum packaging, pet food, sauces, and any products sensitive to oxygen, moisture, or light exposure.
Common aluminum foil thicknesses for flexible packaging include 7μm, 9μm, and 12μm. Thinner foils (7-9μm) are used for standard applications, while thicker foils (12μm) provide enhanced barrier and durability for demanding applications. The selection depends on your specific barrier requirements and cost considerations.
Aluminum foil is recyclable, but in multi-layer flexible packaging structures, recyclability depends on the overall structure. We offer recyclable alternatives like metallized films for applications where recyclability is a priority, while still maintaining good barrier properties.
Aluminum foil provides nearly 100% barrier protection but is not transparent and can be prone to pinholes. Metallized film offers good barrier properties (though not as complete as foil) while maintaining transparency and better flexibility. The choice depends on your barrier requirements, transparency needs, and cost considerations.
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